University of Virginia Library

Three-Judge Court

Judge Merhige is one of the three judges
appointed to hear the case. Under federal rules,
Judge Merhige, as a member of the three-judge
court, may hear a motion for a temporary
injunction without the other judges being
present. He could have granted or denied the
motion without altering the final hearing date.

The controversy began last February 15,
when the University's Board of Visitors handed
down its Coeducation Decision. At that time,
the Board first resolved to allow women to be.
admitted to the College.

Their resolution cited that all restrictions on
the admission of women to the College and
other undergraduate schools should be removed,
and that the admission of women
should become effective September 1, 1970.

In a separate resolution, the Board approved
the admission of wives of students and wives
and daughters of staff members as transfer
students in their third and fourth years of
college, to become effective for this semester.

However, these women must have completed
two years of undergraduate work at
another accredited institution.

As of Friday, eleven women were enrolled in
the College. University News Service estimated
that only two of the eleven women were
first-year women. Besides Miss Scott, the other
female member of the first-year class of 1306
students is a faculty member's wife.